Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Theodor Braun (Translator), 3.95

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Demosthenes ging den Messeniern zu Gefallen auf den
Vorschlag ein. Er glaubte nämlich, auch ohne athenische
Truppen mit den Bundesgenossen vom Festlande und dann
noch durch die Htolier verstärkt zu Lande nach Böotien ziehen
und durch das Gebiet der ozolischen Lokrer nach dem dorischen
Kytinion und, dem ParnassoS zur Rechten, zu den Phokiern
gelangen zu können, die sich ihm als alte Freunde der Athener
wahrscheinlich anschließen würden, nötigenfalls dazu gezwungen
werden müßten. Phokien aber grenzt schon an Böotien. Gegen
den Wunsch der Akarnanier brach er dann auch mit dem
ganzen Heere von Leukas auf und fuhr an der Küste entlang
nach Sollion. Hier eröffnete er den Akarnaniern seinen Plan,
und als diese darauf nicht eingingen, unternahm er seinerseits
mit den übrigen Streitkräften, den Kephaleniern, Messeniern,
Zakynthiern und den dreihundert Seesoldaten von der athe
nischen Flotte - die fünfzehn Schiffe aus Kerkyra waren näm
lich wieder abgefahren -, den Zug gegen die Ätolier. Von
Oineon in Lokris setzte sich das Heer in Bewegung. Die
ozolischen Lokrer dort waren Bundesgenossen der Athener und
sollten sich mit ihrer ganzen Macht im Innern des Landes
dem Zuge anschließen. Denn da sie Nachbarn der Htolier, wie
diese bewaffnet, auch mit ihrer Kampfesweise und der Zärtlich
keit vertraut waren, so erschien ihre Teilnahme daran von be
sonderem Wert.

History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides. Theodor Braun (Translator). Leipzig. 1917.

Current edition First1KGreek

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs (German) (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.)

Editions (1)

Ἱστορίαι Perseus (Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).) — 3.95.1 focus

[1] ὁ δὲ τῶν Μεσσηνίων χάριτι πεισθεὶς καὶ μάλιστα νομίσας ἄνευ τῆς τῶν Ἀθηναίων δυνάμεως τοῖς ἠπειρώταις ξυμμάχοις μετὰ τῶν Αἰτωλῶν δύνασθαι ἂν κατὰ γῆν ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ Βοιωτοὺς διὰ Λοκρῶν τῶν Ὀζολῶν ἐς Κυτίνιον τὸ Δωρικόν, ἐν δεξιᾷ ἔχων τὸν Παρνασσόν, ἕως καταβαίη ἐς Φωκέας, οἳ προθύμως ἐδόκουν κατὰ τὴν Ἀθηναίων αἰεί ποτε φιλίαν ξυστρατεύσειν ἢ κἂν βίᾳ προσαχθῆναι (καὶ Φωκεῦσιν ἤδη ὅμορος ἡ Βοιωτία ἐστίν), ἄρας οὖν ξύμπαντι τῷ στρατεύματι ἀπὸ τῆς Λευκάδος ἀκόντων τῶν Ἀκαρνάνων παρέπλευσεν ἐς Σόλλιον.

[2] κοινώσας δὲ τὴν ἐπίνοιαν τοῖς Ἀκαρνᾶσιν, ὡς οὐ προσεδέξαντο διὰ τῆς Λευκάδος τὴν οὐ περιτείχισιν, αὐτὸς τῇ λοιπῇ στρατιᾷ, Κεφαλλῆσι καὶ Μεσσηνίοις καὶ Ζακυνθίοις καὶ Ἀθηναίων τριακοσίοις τοῖς ἐπιβάταις τῶν σφετέρων νεῶν (αἱ γὰρ πέντε καὶ δέκα τῶν Κερκυραίων ἀπῆλθον νῆες), ἐστράτευσεν ἐπ’ Αἰτωλούς.

[3] ὡρμᾶτο δὲ ἐξ Οἰνεῶνος τῆς Λοκρίδος. οἱ δὲ Ὀζόλαι οὗτοι Λοκροὶ ξύμμαχοι ἦσαν, καὶ ἔδει αὐτοὺς πανστρατιᾷ ἀπαντῆσαι τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις ἐς τὴν μεσόγειαν· ὄντες γὰρ ὅμοροι τοῖς Αἰτωλοῖς καὶ ὁμόσκευοι μεγάλη ὠφελία ἐδόκουν εἶναι ξυστρατεύοντες μάχης τε ἐμπειρίᾳ τῆς ἐκείνων καὶ χωρίων.

Translations (10)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 3.95.1 focus

[1] But he, induced by the Messenians whom he favoured, but especially because he thought without the forces of the people of Athens with the confederates only of the continent and with the Aetolians to invade Boeotia by land, going first through the Locri Ozolae and so to Cytinium of Doris, having Parnassus on the right hand till the descent thereof into the territory of the Phoceans, which people, for the friendship they ever bore to the Athenians, would, he thought, be willing to follow his army, and if not, might be forced; and upon the Phoceans bordereth Boeotia; putting off therefore with his whole army, against the minds of the Acarnanians, from Leucas, he sailed unto Solium by the shore.

[2] And there, having communicated his conceit with the Acarnanians, when they would not approve of it because of his refusal to besiege Leucas, he himself with the rest of his army, Cephalonians, Zacynthians, and three hundred Athenians, the soldiers of his own fleet (for the fifteen galleys of Corcyra were now gone away), warred on the Aetolians, having Oeneon, a city of Locris, for the seat of his war.

[3] Now these Locrians called Ozolae were confederates of the Athenians and were to meet them with their whole power in the heart of the country. For being confiners on the Aetolians and using the same manner of arming, it was thought it would be a matter of great utility in the war to have them in their army for that they knew their manner of fight and were acquainted with the country.

History of the Peloponnesian War Perseus (Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Crawley, Richard, translator. London and Toronto: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd.; New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1914.) — 3.95.1 focus

[1] To this plan Demosthenes consented, not only to please the Messenians, but also in the belief that by adding the Aetolians to his other continental allies he would be able, without aid from home, to march against the Boeotians by way of Ozolian Locris to Kytinium in Doris , keeping Parnassus on his right until he descended to the Phocians, whom he could force to join him if their ancient friendship for Athens did not, as he anticipated, at once decide them to do so. Arrived in Phocis he was already upon the frontier of Boeotia .

[2] He accordingly weighed from Leucas , against the wish of the Acarnanians, and with his whole armament sailed along the coast to Sollium, where he communicated to them his intention; and upon their refusing to agree to it on account of the non-investment of Leucas , himself with the rest of the forces, the Cephallenians, the Messenians, and Zacynthians, and three hundred Athenian marines from his own ships (the fifteen Corcyraean vessels having departed), started on his expedition against the Aetolians.

[3] His base he established at Oeneon in Locris , as the Ozolian Locrians were allies of Athens and were to meet him with all their forces in the interior. Being neighbors of the Aetolians and armed in the same way, it was thought that they would be of great service upon the expedition, from their acquaintance with the localities and the warfare of the inhabitants.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 3.95 focus

Demosthenes also folgte den Messeniern zu Gefallen diesem
Rathe und besonders auch, weil er glaubte, er könne auch ohne
athenische Streitmacht nur mit den festländischen Bundesgenossen nnd den
dazu gewonnenen Aetolern zu Lande gegen die Böotier ziehen,
nämlich durch das Gebiet der ozolifchen Lokrer nach dem dorischen
Kytinion, den Parnaß rechts lassend, bis er in's Land der Phoker käme,
die immer den Athenern Freund gewesen und wohl eifrig sich dem
Zuge anschließen würden, oder auch dazu gezwungen werden könnten,
und dicht an das Phokergebiet stößt bereits Böotien 50); so brach er ¹
also gegen den Willen der Akarnaner mit der gesammten Macht, von
Leukas auf und segelte nach Sicilien: Dann theilte er den
Akarnanern seine Absicht mit, und da sie nicht einstimmten, weil die
Umschließung von Leukas unterblieben war, so zog er mit dem übrigen
Heere, den Kephallenern, Messeniern) Zakynthiern und den dreihundert
Mann Athenern von den eigenen Schiffen — denn die fünfzehn Schiffe
der Kerkyräer hatten sich von ihm getrennt — gegen die Aetoler zu
Felde. Der Aufbruch geschah von Oeneon in Lokris. Diese
ozolischen Lokrer waren nämlich Bundesgenossen und sie sollten im inneren
Lande mit ihrer Gesammtmacht zu den Athenern stoßen. Denn da
sie Gränznachbarn der Aetoler waren und mit ihnen von gleicher
Bewaffnung, so schien ihr Zuzug großen Vortheil zu versprechen, weil sie
die Kampfweise jener und die Ortsgelegenheiten wohl kannten.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 3.95 focus

XCV. Démosthènes se laissa persuader, pour complaire aux Messéniens, et surtout par cette considération que, sans recourir aux forces athéniennes, il pourrait, avec l’aide des Épirotes alliés et des Étoliens, marcher par terre contre les Béotiens, en traversant le pays des Locriens Ozoles pour se rendre à Citinium le Dorique. De là, laissant à droite le Parnasse, il descendrait jusqu’en Phocide ; il espérait que les Phocéens, en raison de l’amitié qui les avait de tout temps unis aux Athéniens, se joindraient volontairement à lui, ou que, du moins, ils pourraient y être forcés. Une fois en Phocide, il se trouvait à portée de la Béotie qui y confine.

Il s’embarqua donc à Leucade avec toute son armée, au grand déplaisir des Acarnanes, et suivit la côte jusqu’à Sollium. Les Acarnanes, lorsqu’il leur communiqua son projet, refusèrent de le suivre, piqués de ce qu’il n’avait pas investi Leucade. Demosthènes marcha contre les Étoliens avec le reste de son armée, Céphalléniens, Messéniens, Zacynthiens, et trois cents soldats de marine, tous Athéniens et montés sur les vaisseaux d’Athènes ; car les quinze vaisseaux de Corcyre s’étaient retirés. Il partit d’OEnéon dans la Locride. Les Locriens Ozoles de cette contrée étaient alliés des Athéniens et devaient venir le rejoindre, avec toutes leurs forces, dans l’intérieur du pays. Voisins des Étoliens et armés de la même manière, ils paraissaient devoir être d’un grand secours contre un peuple dont ils connaissaient le pays et la tactique militaire.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 3.95 focus

Démosthène céda aux instances des Messéniens. Π se laissa tenter par la pensée qu’à l’aide des alliés du continent réunis aux Étoliens, il pourrait attaquer par terre la Béotie, sans avoir besoin des armes d’Athènes. Pour cet effet, il n'y avait qu’à traverser le pays des Locriens-Ozoles, marcher sur Cytinion en Doride, et, laissant à droite le Parnasse, descendre chez les Phocéens. La coopération de ceux-ci paraissait assurée, grâce à leur vieille amitié pour les Athéniens ; et d ailleurs on pouvait les contraindre. Or la Phocide touche la Béotie.

Il s’embarqua donc à Leucade avec toute son armée, au grand déplaisir des Acarnaniens, et suivit la côte jusqu’à Sollion. Il avait communiqué son projet aux Acarnaniens ; mais ceux-ci, mécontents de ce qu’il n'avait pas voulu faire le siège de Leucade, avaient refusé de l’accompagner. Ce fut donc avec le reste de ses troupes qu’il alla porter la guerre en Étolie, savoir avec les Céphalléeiens, les Messéniens, les Zacynthiens et trois cents Athéniens, soldats de marine¹, montés sur leurs propres bâtiments ; car les quinze vaisseaux de Corcyre s’étaient retirés. îl partit d’OEnéon en Locride². Les Locriens-Ozoles, alliés d’Athènes, devaient le rejoindre avec toutes leurs forces dans l'intérieur du pays. Voisins des Étoliens, habitués aux mêmes armes, on comptait qu’ils seraient d’un grand secours contre ces peuples, dont ils connaissaient la tactique et le territoire.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides, Vol. 1-4. Smith, Charles Foster, translator. London and Cambridge, MA: Heinemann and Harvard University Press, 1919-1923.) — 3.95.1 focus

[1] Demosthenes was induced to make this decision, not only by his desire to please the Messenians, but chiefly because he thought that, without help from Athens, he would be able with his allies from the mainland, once the Aetolians had joined him, to make an overland expedition against the Boeotians by passing through the country of the Ozolian Locrians to Cytinium in Doris, keeping Parnassus on the right, until he should descend into Phocian territory. The Phocians would presumably be eager to join the expedition in view of their traditional friendship with Athens, or else could be forced to do so; and Phocis is on the very borders of Boeotia. So he set sail from Leucas with his whole armament in spite of the unwillingness of the Acarnanians and went along the coast to Sollium.

[2] There he made his plan known to the Acarnanians, but they would not agree to it because of his refusal to invest Leucas; he therefore set out upon his expedition against the Aetolians without them, taking the rest of his army, which consisted of Cephallenians, Messenians, Zacynthians, and three hundred Athenian marines from his own ships—for the fifteen Corcyraean ships had gone back home. The base from which he started was Oeneon in Locris.

[3] The people of this country, Ozolian Locris, were allies, and they with their whole force were to meet the Athenians in the interior; for since they were neighbours of the Aetolians and used the same sort of arms, it was believed that their help would be of great service on the expedition on account of their knowledge both of the Aetolian manner of fighting and of the country.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides. The history of the Peloponnesian War, Volume 1-2. Dale, Henry, translator. London: Heinemann and Henry G. Bohn, 1851-1852.) — 3.95.1 focus

[1] He consented to do so, out of regard for the Messenians, and still more because he thought, that without employing the forces of Athens, with only continental tribes as his allies, and with the Aetolians, he would be able to go by land against the Boeotians, through the Locri Ozolae to Cytinium in Doris, keeping Parnassus on his right hand till he reached the Phocians, who, he thought, would eagerly join him, for the friendship they had always borne the Athenians, or might be brought over by force; and to Phocis Boeotia is at once the bordering state. Starting therefore with all his armament from Leucas, in opposition to the wishes of the Acarnanians, lie coasted along to Sollium.

[2] There he communicated his plan to the Acarnanians; and when they did not assent to it in consequence of his refusal to invest Leucas, he himself with the remainder of the force, the Cephallenians, Messenians, Zacynthians, and the three hundred ¹ epibatae from his own ships, (for the fifteen Corcyraean vessels had gone away,) made an expedition against the Aetolians, having his head-quarters at Aeneon in Locris.

[3] Now the Locri Ozolae were allies or the Athenians, and were to meet them in full force in the heart of the country: for as they bordered on the Aetolians, and were similarly equipped, they were thought likely to prove of great service in acting with them, from their acquaintance both with the Aetolian mode of fighting and with the localities.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 3.95.1 focus

[1] Ille vero Messeniorum, qui in gratia apud eum erant, verbis adductus, praecipue vero, quia credidit, se sine Atheniensium copiis, cum solis Epiroticis sociis, et cum iEtolis posse itinere terrertri proficisci contra Boeotos, per Locros Ozolas ad Cytinium Doricum, Parnassum ad dextram habentem, donec descenderet ad Phocenses, qui propter amicitiam, quae iis cum Atheniensibus perpetuo intercedebat, ad eandem militiam alacriter venturi esse vel etiam per vim adduci posse videbantur; jam vero Phocensibus finitima est Boeotia; cum omnibus igitur copiis, invitis Acarnanibus, a Leucade solvens, oram maritinam legens ad Sollium navigavit.

[2] Consilio autem cum Acarnanibus communicato, quum illi hoc non admisissent, quod Leucadem circumvallare noluisset, ipse cum reliquis copiis Cephalleniorum et Messeniorum et Zacynthiorum et cum Atheniensium trecentis ex suis classiariis (nam Corcyraeorum quindecim naves abierant) iEtolis bellum intulit.

[3] Procedebat autem ex (Eneone Locridis. Isti autem Locri Ozolae erant socii, eosque cum omnibus suis copiis in loca mediterranea proficisci oportebat, ut illic Atheniensibus praesto essent; quum enim iEtolis essent finitimi et armorum genere similes, propter peritiam pugnae, qua illi utebantur, et propter lororum notitiam, eorum auxilium in hac expeditione magno usui fore videbatur.

Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides First1KGreek (Thucydides. Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides. Gürsching, Heinrich, translator. Augsburg: Wirth, 1856.) — 4.87.1 focus

[1] So wenig geben wir uns Täuschungen hin über unser wahres Interesse. Und wer könnte euch auch ausser dem Eide eine festere Bürgschaft bieten, als diejenigen, deren Handlungen nach ihren Versprechungen beurtheilt zu dem Schlusse nöthigen, dass ihre Zusagen mit ihrem Vortheil zusammenfallen? Solltet ihr jedoch meinem Ansinnen euer Unvermögen entgegenhalten, dabei aber doch Schonung ansprechen von denen, die ihr von euch stosst; die Freiheit sei für euch zu gefahrlich, man solle sie nur denen anbieten, die sie auch anzunehmen im Stande seien und sie keinem wider seineu Willen aufdrängen, so werde ich die Götter und Heroen des Landes zu Zeugen aufrufen, dass meine redlichen Absichten verkannt werden, und werde zu Zwangsmitteln greifen und euer Land verheeren. Die Schuld ist fortan nicht auf mir, den eine doppelte Notwendigkeit mehr als genug entschuldigt. Sollen die Lacedämonier, wenn ihr nicht beitreten werdet, von eurer Feindschaft den Schaden haben und eure Geldmittel den Athem zufliessen lassen? Oder sollt ihr die Befreiung Griechenlands aus seiner Knechtschaft hintertreiben dürfen? Denn freilich ohne den Rechtsgrund eines (grossen) vaterländischen Interesses dürften wir nicht so verfahren¹, noch würde sich Sparta berufen fühlen, ein widerstrebendes Volk zu befreien. Ja wenn wir nach Herrschaft trachteten; allein wir streben vielmehr, dem Herrscherwesen ein Ende zu machen, so dass es Unrecht an der Mehrzahl wäre, wenn wir im Bewustsein, der Welt die Freiheit zu bringen, euer Widerstreben duldeten. Erwäget dies wohl und schätzet euch glücklich, zu eurem unvergänglichen Ruhme den ersten Grundstein für Griechenlands Befreiung zu legen, was euch die Verwüstung der eigenen Habe ersparen und der Stadt den gefeiertsten Namen erwerben wird.

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 3.95 focus

Condiscese Demostene alle voglie dei Messemi, tra perchè erano essi bene di lui, e soprattutto perchè avvisava che senza nuove genti di Atene, ma solo con gli alleati dell’ Epiro e con gli Etoli, traversando le terre dei Loori Ozolii fino a Citinio della Doria che ha sulla destra il Parnaso , sarebbe venuto a capo di entrare in Beozia , che confina coi Focesi ; per poi scendere tra i

Focesi stessi : i quali pensava che a cagione della perpetua amicizia in che erano stati sempre con gli Ateniesi unirebbero cón lui di buona voglia le loro armi, o si sarebbero potuti costringere per forza« Per lo che fatto vela da Leucade con tutta l' armata , a malgrado degli Acarnani scorreva la costa fino a Sollio. Ivi comunicò il suo disegno con gli Acarnani che, per noti avere egli cinto di mura Leucade, non lo approvarono ; ond’ ei col resto dell' esercito , composto di Cefalleni, Messemi e Zacintii , e con trecento Ateniesi che militavano sulle sue navi (essendo già partite le quindici de' Corfuotti ) portò le armi contro gli Etoli, mosso il campo da Enone della Locride. I Locri Ozolii di questi luoghi erano alleati , e dovevano con tutte le loro forze riunirsi con gli Ateniesi nei luoghi mediterranei. Imperocché essendo confinanti degli Etoli ed usando la medesima armatura , pareva che col concorrere al]’ impresa sarebbero di gran vantaggio, attesa la pratica che avevano del guerreggiare di quelli e del paese.

Commentary

Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3 (Thucydides, Book III. Marchant, Edgar C., editor. London: Macmillan and Company, 1909.) focus

Μεσσηνίων —objective.

μετὰ τῶν Αἰτωλῶν —i.e. when he had forced them to join.

κατὰ γῆν ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ Βοιωτούς —this exceedingly bold plan was due to Demosthenes only. No doubt Thuc. heard all about it from D. himself. The territory of the Ozolian Locrians, on the Corinthian gulf, S. of the Apodoti, lay between Naupactus and Phocis. The Locrians were allies of Athens ( II. 9 ).

Κυτίνιον —an important strategieal position, chosen by Philip of Macedon in 339 B.C. It was one of the towns of the ancient Dorian tetrapolis.

Φωκέας —nominally allies of Sparta, but there was a powerful demoeratic party in sympathy with Athens.

οὖν —resuming after the parenthesis, like igitur.

Σόλλιον —probably this Corinthian colony lay some distance from the sea, but possessed a piece of the coast with a harbour.

τριακοσίοις —ten to a trireme, as usual at this period.

ἐστράτευσεν —most probably he sailed up the gulf to Naupactus and thence to Oeneon in Locri where he landed (cf. c. 89, 3). (The site of the latter is fully discussed by Woodhouse, l.c.)

οὗτοι —as distinet from the Opuntian and Epicnemidian Locrians who were allies of Sparta.

ἔδει —‘were to.’ The Locrians showed no alacrity, and seem to have done nothing to help Demosthenes in the expedition. They were not keen allies of Athens (Woodhouse, Aetolia, p. 351).

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.95

Theodor Braun (Translator)

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